9:14 PM,
Feb. 16, 2014

Written by

A.J. Burnett never put on a Phillies jersey before about noon on Sunday. He hasn't warmed up in the home bullpen at Citizens Bank Park or sat in the Phils' dugout. But make no mistake: Burnett's ties to this organization run deep.

A few minutes after Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Ryne Sandberg officially introduced Burnett, the 6-foot-4 Arkansan with a country drawl walked over to a table and shared a warm greeting with Scott Proefrock, Phillies assistant general manager and longtime friend. They both live in Monkton, Md., in the offseason, and their sons are close ...